After serving as a writer for NBC sitcoms, Northern Michigan University theater alumnus William Missouri Downs realized his “heart was always on the stage,” so he left Hollywood for a cabin in Colorado to focus on his passion for playwriting. Downs' latest play, a pandemic-inspired comedy titled “Asking Strangers the Meaning of Life,” is being performed at the Detroit Repertory Theatre through April 3.
“The pandemic has caused a lot of people to hit pause on their lives and think about their meaning of life,” said the 1977 NMU graduate. “I've realized that people seldom think about the true meaning of life, unless they are forced to stay home and think about it.”
The play is about a writer who meets the ghost of Franz Kafka, a famous novelist. After the meeting, an existential chain of events forces the cast to confront the meaning of life in the age of pandemics. The play calls into question whether the characters can justify their existence or if life is just an absurd Zoom meeting.
There have been more than 300 productions of Downs' comedies and musicals all over the world. He is not only a playwright, but a director, screenwriter, actor and author.
Downs initially pursued a playwriting career in New York, arriving there with only $500 and a typewriter. He later found himself in Hollywood, Calif,. as a staff writer on the NBC sitcom “My Two Dads” and a freelance writer on “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Amen.” Since then, he has published four books, including “The Art of Theatre,” a textbook now in its fourth edition, which has been used by more than 80,000 college students.
The shift from sitcom writing back to playwriting was easy for Downs.
“I value the intimacy of playwriting because the actors use my words; it's me up there. The best part about being a playwright is the live audience because when they laugh, I hear it because I am there, watching the play with them.”
Writing hasn't always come naturally for Downs. As an NMU student, he took a writing class with professor James Livingston. He enjoyed the class but got a ‘D' because Livingston said he just wasn't good enough at writing yet. Downs took the class two more times and finally earned an A.
“By the third time, I knew I wanted to be a writer,” Downs said. “Livingston pushed me to become a better writer and I have him to thank for my career. He lit a fire under me.”
Downs said he has faced rejection and has earned praise for his work. He advises students entering the theater industry to “Have thick skin and work hard. You have to be able to accept failure and brush yourself off and go back to work.”
For tickets to the Detroit production, visit https://www.detroitreptheatre.com/strangers.